The present invention relates to a braiding machine with synchro belt system for forming round braids, flat braids and others by braiding a plurality of yarn strings.
Common round braids and flat braids for various industrial or ornamental uses are produced by a plurality of yarn strings which are braided so that each string or each two yarn strings may be alternately top or bottom therein. For this reason, any braiding machine for forming these type of braids is requested to run a plurality of carriers for yarn supply along two carrier ways intersecting each other in successive characters 8 shapes, like clockwork with a prescribed interval in reverse directions.
Thus so far, this type of braiding machines have been adapted to rotate a plurality of horn dogs respectively in synchronism and alternately each in reverse directions, and run each carrier along carrier ways while transferring each carrier by each horn dog successively to neighbouring horn dogs.
Besides, in order to rotate a plurality of horn dogs respectively in synchronism and alternately each in reverse directions, a positive rotational drive system is needed. However when a plurality of adjacently engaged gears, a plurality of sprocket wheels and chains passes thereupon are used as a rotational drive system for this purpose, a problem arises that very large noise is produced by these gears or chains in rotational drive.
Furthermore any structure using gears or chains cannot neglect oiling of lubricant to reduce wears therein. For this reason, a problem has so far arisen that oil drips have been scattered in surroundings during rotational drive to be attached on expensive yarns wound on bobbins of carriers, and have produced oil stains on completed braid products. To prevent yarn contamination, installation of bobbin covers on bobbins on carriers may be considered, and, in that case however, it is necessary to provide a longitudinal slit on bobbin covers for smoothly drawing out yarns, and a problem to make structures and operabilities complicate would occur.
Additionally in structures using gears or chains, the higher the speed of rotational drive becomes, the more intense generation of noises and scattering of oil drips may result. For this reason, the rotational speed of horn dogs is limited approximately to 200 revolutions per minute, and there exist a problem that a high speed operation of such machines is not practical.
Besides, conventional braiding machines are adapted to run a plurality of carriers along carrier ways. For this reason, there exist problems, similar to the above-mentioned rotational drive systems, of generation of large noises, scattering of drips of oil applied for wear prevention, limits in running speed and others between the sliding surface of carriers and matting slide surface of carrier ways and others.